The Walls Have Eyes
by jnharrow
Summary: Written for Court's confession challenge at Perfectly Plum.
1. Chapter 1

Week 20 - Court's "Confession" Challenge

I used: Prompt (2) Words: backup, promise, bet, problem, plan.

The Walls Have Eyes

by jnharrow

Lester paused at the entrance of the conference room and said casually, "Throw a **backup** copy of our notes on the server before you go, wouldya, Beautiful? Ranger'll kill us if we spent all that time for nothing."

I grabbed my laptop and glared at Lester. "It's not like my car blows up every day. I haven't lost one in six months. It's perfectly safe."

Do they all have that damn blank face perfected? "Alright, alright, fine. I **promise** I'll go back to my desk, plug right back in and save a copy for you before I leave. I'll name the folder 'Lester is a pain in the--'"

His laugh cut me off and he gave me a conciliatory pat on the shoulder as I shoved past him. Following me, he said, "Look at it this way, Beautiful, if I have the list, maybe I can track down a few more of those contacts while you're out."

"Yeah, yeah. Next time you take the notes."

"Hey, I told you I can't type."

"I'm not buying that anymore." I grumbled. "I think you tricked me."

"Scout's honor, I suck at it."

I was sure if I looked behind me, he'd be wearing that innocent little boy look again…the same one that suckered me into doing the notes in the first place.

"**Bet** you were never a boy scout," I scoffed and stopped short, causing him to bump into me. Looking back at him, I eyed him thoroughly, up and down; I was careful not to pause on anything interesting, a slight **problem** because all of the Merry Men were nothing but interesting to look at, but I managed. "Nope, can't picture you in the uniform."

I was about to continue walking when he draped an arm around my shoulders and spoke softly into my ear, "But I'm always prepared, Beautiful."

Probably it was accidental that his lips brushed my ear ever so slightly.

I shivered. Darn goosebumps. Darn Hungarian hormones. Darn off-again Joe and no-relationships Ranger.

He nudged me, my feet started moving again and we moved in tandem down the hall, Lester still talking in that low, lethal tone. "If uniforms are what--"

"Santos!" Tank barked, coming around the corner and heading us off.

Lester dropped his arm, but looked unfazed. "Yeah?"

"You're on monitors tonight."

Now Lester did look upset. "Monitors? I just got off a week on monitors. I shouldn't be due for another six weeks!"

Tank smirked. "Better **plan** for another few weeks." He tipped his head ever so slightly to the camera mounted on the wall behind him.

Lester swore and stalked off.

Tank grinned at me and disappeared back around the corner too.

I looked up at the camera, treated it to a good Jersey girl eye roll and, shaking my head, moved out of its range.


	2. Chapter 2

_I don't own any of the Plum world characters and I'm not making any profit from them._

_Week 20 - Court's "Confession" Challenge _

_I used: Prompt (2) Words: backup, promise, bet, problem, plan._

The Walls Have Eyes – 2

by jnharrow

Every step away from the camera I got more and more annoyed. Who did he think he was? It was kind of creepy that he was watching me like that. What, he doesn't want me but nobody else can want me either? After all, it had been six months since Joe and I had broken up for good. That was plenty of time for Ranger to step up and ask me out. But that wasn't what he wanted, was it? No, he said he'd be in my bed, not out to dinner with me.

Well, he was neither and I'd almost decided he never would be. If anything, he was more distant than he'd ever been. No kisses, no touching, no flirting, no amused looks. He was all business, all the time.

I set the laptop on my desk and sat down, making no move to turn it on, my mind still racing.

Before I knew it, I was up and striding towards his door. A knock and an acknowledgement and I was inside his office. Hey, no thinking required, look at that.

His eyes met mine and all I could see was impersonal expectation. He was waiting for me to state my business. Well, I would.

"Lester can't be on monitor duty," I said.

He raised an eyebrow at me. "He is."

"You told me I needed experienced **backup** and that was one of the advantages I'd get from joining Rangeman. You made me **promise** I wouldn't go anywhere without a partner." My voice was rising, despite my best efforts to rein in my anger. "I was tired of being **bet** on and made fun of, so I agreed. Then I get backup in the form of Lester and you tie him to the office."

I walked right up to his desk and stared him down. "I went along with your **plan** and now I don't understand what the **problem** is."

Ranger said calmly, "Lester's not your partner. Lester is Bobby's partner."

Maybe this wasn't going to be a short conversation. I sat, ever so professionally, in one of his guest chairs and said in as neutral a tone as I could manage, "Bobby is in some 

medical training course for the next couple of months. Lester is overdue for a field rotation. Tank made us temporary partners until Bobby gets back." I folded my hands in my lap and waited.

Ranger said nothing, so I filled in the silence for him. "Lester offered to help me out on that skip you gave me. He's harder to find than I thought he would be. Considering what I usually do to your men, I thought he was brave to volunteer."

"Lester offered to help," he repeated.

"Yes."

"Tank made Lester your partner."

Ranger seemed kind of slow today. "Yes."

"I'll get you a new partner."

I couldn't help it; my breath escaped in an irritable whoosh of a sigh. "There isn't anyone. Everyone is working on something. Besides, Lester's a perfectly good partner and he's already been assigned to me so what's the problem? Just tell him he's not on monitor duty and I can get back to work."

"This is a business environment," Ranger said evenly. "Lester can be inappropriate, which could cause issues. He isn't who I would assign to you."

I snorted. "So what, you're afraid of a harassment suit? Please."

It had been so long since Joe and I were together that I might actually welcome a little harassment in the form of a Merry Man. I didn't mention that to Ranger. Both of us danced carefully around the fact that there could be another reason Ranger didn't think Lester was a suitable partner for me. I wondered if he would ever admit to it if there were.

"Fine." Ranger's tone was dismissive as he returned his gaze to his papers. "You say you can deal with Santos, you've got him."

I stood. "I can handle Lester."

As I stepped out of the office, I thought I heard him mutter something about Tank, but I couldn't quite catch it. I shut the door behind me.


	3. Chapter 3

_I don't own any of the Plum world characters and I'm not making any profit from them._

_Week 20 - Court's "Confession" Challenge _

_I used: Prompt (1) I have a confession to make._

**The Walls Have Eyes – Chapter 3**

**by**** jnharrow**

I'd just finished my coffee and doughnut the next morning when Lester stuck his head into my cubicle.   I didn't think the timing was coincidental.  The guys all knew what I was like before breakfast.  Was my camera feed on everyone's computer? 

"Ready to start canvassing the friends and neighbors, Beautiful?"  

"Sure, Les."  I grabbed my purse and slung it over my shoulder, tapping one last line into my laptop before I locked the screen.  "Ok, I'm ready.  Got the addresses?"

Lester waved a PDA at me.  "All in here."  Rangeman equipped its staff with the coolest, state of the art, handhelds on the market, but I still couldn't get used to the tiny keyboard and various menus.  I'd just gotten comfortable with a full-sized keyboard.  If I'd been going alone on this job, I would've had a sheaf of papers with me, not a bitsy computer. 

I'd taken two steps before my cell rang.  "Yo," I said.

"Babe."

"What's up?"

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

Purse…check.  I peeked inside my purse and took a rapid inventory.  Contents of purse:  wallet, lipstick, compact, keys, emergency chocolate, stun gun, pepper spray, handcuffs, assorted other miscellaneous necessities…check.  "Nope." 

Ooo…gum.  I forgot I had gum.  Goodbye coffee breath.  Juggling the cell, I unwrapped a stick and popped it into my mouth.  I offered the pack to Lester.  He smiled and slid a piece out, then tossed the pack back in my purse.  I watched him unwrap it and place the stick on his tongue.

Ranger sighed.  "In the top drawer." 

Right!  Phone.  I spaced out a second there.

"Where's the camera, Ranger?" I asked sweetly. 

He disconnected. 

Grumbling, I took the two steps back to my desk and grabbed the SIG out of the top drawer.  Loaded.  Surprise, surprise.  Rather than argue and waste time, I shoved the thing into my purse where it handily obscured any of the objects I might actually need to use on this trip into downtown Trenton and slammed the drawer shut. 

We boarded the elevator and punched the button for the garage.

"So how'd you manage to get me sprung?"  Lester asked.

"I told Ranger I needed my partner."

"That's it?"

"Yeah."

"And that worked?" 

"Yeah." I said again, staring at the smooth metal of the elevator doors.

"My turn for a question now?"  I asked.

"Yeah, sure."

"Why'd you volunteer to work with me while Bobby's gone?"  This I couldn't figure out.  I mean,  I'd been pretty tough on the Merry Men so far.  I'd even gotten Ranger shot…more than once!  Why would anyone want to risk that?

The doors opened on the garage and Lester beeped open his assigned SUV.  I jumped into my seat and buckled up, then looked up and started in surprise at Lester's intense stare.

"I have a confession to make."  He leaned towards me and took my hand, bringing it to his lips and brushing a gentle kiss on my knuckles.  After a sufficiently dramatic pause that set my heart racing, he said, "I'm an adrenaline junkie." 

Me too.  Apparently.  I did what was expected of me and used my just-kissed hand to smack his shoulder as he tried to dodge out of my reach, but it was a perfunctory smack at best.  

He was laughing.  "Hey!  That means there's nothing more fun for me than a day with you, Beautiful.  You could never be boring."  He started the truck and pulled out of the garage with no further teasing. 

Yeah.  That's me.  I don't disappoint when it comes to fun stuff like being blown up, shot or arrested.


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer: I don't own the characters and I'm not making any money_

Deb's Challenge: Prompt 1. It was hot. So hot that…

**The Walls Have Eyes - Chapter 4**

**by jnharrow**

I chewed the end of the pen I was using to poke the tiny buttons on Lester's electronic thingamajig.

"Hey, stop that." Lester managed to swipe the pen without taking his eyes off the road. Right. Rangemen had superior peripheral vision. "It makes the buttons all inky."

I started to give him my best innocent look, but it flopped miserably and I settled on cranky instead. We'd been to every address on our list and still had no idea where Karl Marinski could be hiding. Either no one knew anything or they weren't talking if they did.

"Why can't this guy have a pissed off girlfriend or ex-wife?" I fumed. "That would be worth a thousand relatives who speak very little English."

Lester laughed, "Did you look at him, Beautiful? Your answer's right there."

He was kind of ugly. That unfortunate mole and those scraggly, yellow teeth weren't going to qualify him for GQ anytime soon. I sighed. "I'm hungry."

"That's why we're at Shorty's."

Wow, amazing how that nasty cranky feeling went away at the thought of imminent pizza. "You are a god, Lester Santos." I looked at him thoughtfully and reconsidered , "Maybe only a demigod. If we were at Pino's you'd be a god."

"Please. Shorty's has the best pizza. Everyone knows that."

I could see the gleam in his eye as he wait for me to step down from the SUV and knew I was being baited.

o o o

The situation was desperate. Lester raised the last piece of pizza to his lips. All I could do was act fast.

"Wow, she could be a supermodel. Wonder what she's doing at Shorty's." I stared in the direction of the restrooms. Ha! He looked. In a split second, I had the slice in my own hands.

"Hey, that's not fair, Beautiful. That's mine!"

"All's fair…blahblahblah etc." I mumbled around my first bite of the newly acquired slice.

Lester sat back suddenly and folded his arms, an smug smile on his lips.

Wait, why wasn't he complaining anymore?

All of a sudden the inside of my mouth exploded. It was hot, so hot that I thought my tongue might be on fire. Could you have physical damage from spiciness? What the hell had he done to it?

How had I missed him rendering the pizza completely inedible like that?

"Wha dith oo do!" I reached for my coke and chugged it furiously.

The bastard was doubled over laughing now. He got himself under control and said, "That probably won't help much. They did this on Mythbusters once--" he caught my look."What? Great show. They blow lots of stuff up. Anyway, milk was the only effective thing."

He reached into a pocket and withdrew a small glass bottle of red stuff, half-full, and waggled it at me. "Good stuff. Pizza's too bland on its own."

My eyes were still streaming tears. "BLAND? That stuff should be declared a chemical weapon. How could you wreck good pizza like that?" Disgusted, I dumped the slice back on his plate, wiping my fingers off very thoroughly on a napkin.

"I like things hot and spicy, Beautiful, what can I say." Lester grabbed the slice and took a deliberate bite, closing his eyes in exaggerated enjoyment. The man was not human. No human could eat that and live, let alone remain unaffected by it.

He opened his eyes again. "That's what you get for stealing my pizza. But I'll be a nice guy." He waved the waitress over. "Got any ice cream back there?"

She nodded.

"She'll have a scoop each of chocolate and vanilla--on me--" he said winking at me, "and a glass of milk just in case."

I'd crammed the ice cubes from my drink onto my poor sore tongue, but it wasn't helping. "ith ot udge!"

"With hot fudge, please." When the waitress left, he said, "Though I can't imagine why you're craving any hot food-wise at the moment."

I rearranged the melting cubes with my tongue and got out, "Comfort food."

Then I sulked in silence the rest of the time, glaring at him as he cheerfully devoured the rest of the slice.


	5. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer: I don't own the characters and I'm not making any money_

_Alf's prompt #2 for 0 dollars, Alex. 2) A professional is an amateur who didn't quit._

**The Walls Have Eyes by jnharrow**

**Chapter 5**

"Hey, don't worry, Beautiful. We'll find him." Lester turned the SUV back in the direction of Rangeman. We couldn't do much else today. We had the name of a dive Karl liked to frequent, but it was too early to head there.

"Sorry, Les. Maybe if you had one of the guys with you, you could've done the intimidation thing and gotten more info out of some of these people." I was feeling a little low. This was the first high bond skip I'd been solely responsible for and I hadn't had a decent lead yet.

"Nah. Probably not. Not like we visited any hardcore criminals today. I draw the line at intimidating old grannies who can't understand me."

My head thunked against the headrest. "I just wish I were better at this. Some days I feel like such an amateur."

"Hey, a professional is just an amateur who didn't quit."

Skeptical, I turned my head to look at him. "You really believe that?"

"Nope." He grinned at me. "But I don't think you're an amateur so it doesn't apply. Your capture rate's great, you've got the research thing covered--we just haven't caught a break yet."

I blew a curl out of my eyes. "Yeah. Guess we just need to wait for the luck fairy to kick in and help now."

"Hey, Beautiful?"

"What?"

"Can you specify something to the luck fairy?"

My eyes narrowed. "What?"

"Goooood luck. Not, you know, explosive luck." Lester laughed and I would've hit him if he hadn't been driving.

"You are such a comedian, Lester Santos. Really."

When we got back to the office, I hopped out of the SUV and Les's arm dropped heavily onto my shoulders. He squeezed. "It'll be fine, Steph. We'll get him before the bond expires. Maybe tonight at the bar."

I hit the elevator button. "Hope so."

I let my head fall against his shoulder. His cologne was faintly spicy and smelled good. I inhaled. Yum. Having a guy for a partner wasn't bad at all. "I really hope so."

o o o

Dumping my purse on my desk, I sat down at my computer to check email. Some from Rodriguez, one from Tank, one from Mary Lou on my personal email.

After I responded, I headed to the break room for a drink. "Hey, Hal." I moved the bottles concealing my personal soda stash and popped the top on a coke.

"Hey, Steph."

"Anything going on?" I went over to lean on the counter, near where he was making coffee.

He grimaced. "Yeah, the boss is in a foul mood."

"Really?" I tried to keep my voice casual.

"Yep. Had it out bigtime with Tank earlier. You could hear them through the door."

Ranger's office is set apart from everyone and relatively soundproof, so this was saying something.

"Huh, know what it was about?"

"Nope. Just that Tank stormed out pissed and Ranger's been a real--" He glanced at me nervously. "--uh--pain in the neck since."

I sipped my soda thoughtfully. Ranger hadn't looked angry when I saw him earlier today. Mildly annoyed maybe, but I could attribute that to the topic of conversation. Wonder what happened between when I saw him and now?

Hal's coffee finished brewing and he poured some into his mug. I tilted my head and looked closer at it.

Hal blushed all the way up to the roots of his white-blond hair. "They gave it to me after the stun gun incident. Left it in my mailbox."

It was my turn to blush. I sent him a silent apology and he tipped his head in acceptance. The mug had a funny creature with a turtle shell, an elephant head perched on a long neck, and big elephant feet and bore the sentence: 'I haven't a clue.'

"Why didn't you toss it?"

Hal shrugged. "The little guy's kinda cute. And it holds coffee."

I patted his shoulder and we both went back to work.


	6. Chapter 6

_Disclaimer: I don't own the characters and I'm not making any money_

_Cow Shed Katie's 'Tarantino Challenge' Four Rooms - The Man From Hollywood  
Ted: "Block of wood, bucket of ice, and a hatchet, Sir."_

**The Walls Have Eyes by jnharrow**

**Chapter 6**

Les gave me a hand onto the barstool and hovered behind me, his helping hands lingering at my waist. He nuzzled my neck, bestowing lazy openmouthed kisses from my chin down to my collarbone. His soft hair tickled my cheek and I caught another intoxicating whiff of that cologne.

"Les!" I whispered urgently.

"Mmm?"

"What are you doing?"

He laughed. "Just getting into character, Beautiful. I am supposed to be your boyfriend."

"My rotten two-timing boyfriend, remember? Causing me to need a little chemical pick-me-up?"

He planted one more kiss at my jaw. "Right. That's gonna be a tough assignment here."

No kidding. The women in this place all looked like they'd forgotten to scrub off their heavy-duty makeup one too many times over the decades. This obvious neglect of basic facial care combined with too many packs of Marlboros made his options for selecting a flirting partner limited and less believable. Suddenly, I was a suspicious of Lester's motives in suggesting this particular scenario. Probably it would've worked just as well to send me in alone and pouring my woes out loudly to the bartender as I'd done before. Then again, there weren't very many unaccompanied women in 

this place to start with and I would've looked more out of place. I certainly wouldn't choose it to drown my sorrows. The place was a smelly, dirty dump.

"Don't worry we'll think of something." His hand crept up my side and toyed with the edge of my flimsy top.

I already had. I shoved his hand away and tilted my head away from him. "Stop. Just stop. I can't believe after what you did you think you're just going to fall back into my bed." I said loudly. Turning hurt and angry eyes on him, I pouted petulantly. "Get us drinks at least."

Les held up his hands in surrender and moved to order from the bartender, taking his place on the stool next to me.

I sipped my newly acquired rum and coke and took another look around the room. There. On the end of the bar, in conversation with an old wiry looking guy, was our skip.

Les rested his hand lightly on my thigh. "C'mon baby, don't be mad. You know you're the only one for me." He followed this with a stream of Spanish that I didn't need to be able to translate to understand.

I snorted. "Yeah right. Me and any other girl stupid enough to get sucked into your web of lies."

He put his drink down and moved his other hand upwards. "I can think of better things to suck." That was such a weak line that I was trying not to laugh and not paying enough attention to what he was doing. He tangled his other hand into my curls and brought me in for a heated kiss. After a minute, he broke the kiss, and his eyes laughed at me as he whispered, "Think you're supposed to be rebuffing my attentions." Right! I jerked my head away. OW! He still had his hand in my hair. I placed both my hands on his chest and resolutely resisted the temptation to let them wander. Shoving him right in those firm muscles, I knocked him off balance. Slightly.

"I said, no! You're a cheating bastard. You can just go find someone else to play with. I'm done."

Grabbing my purse and drink from the bar, I slid off the stool and stomped closer to our skip, choosing a stool near him.

"Fine!" Lester's handsome face twisted in anger as he shouted at me. "I'll do that. Don't come crying back to me when you realize what you're missing, baby. We're through." With a few more undoubtedly uncomplimentary things in Spanish, he tore out the door in a rage.

I grabbed a tissue from my bag and dabbed at my eyes, where I'd manage to muster a few tears, sniffing pathetically. "I thought he was the one." I mumbled to myself. "They're all the same. Horrible."

Through my lashes, I noticed more people than my skip looking at my little drama. Ahh…but he was looking too. Gotcha. Maybe. I pawed through my purse and came up with the little pill box I'd tossed in it earlier. Popping the clasp, I was visibly dismayed at the empty interior. Back to the tissues. "Can't even forget about him for awhile and have a little fun. And how am I ever going to get home? No cabs come here." Boy, if I saw me, I'd be backing away. Girl crying and talking to herself? That's not a good time. But men are weird and drug dealers are nothing if not opportunists.

A man's hand toyed with the little pill box. "Problems, little girl?" Good God, he sounded just like the big bad wolf with a Russian accent.

"My boyfriend," I said tearfully, meeting his flat, emotionless gaze. "Ex! Ex-boyfriend. He's a cheating sonofabitch."

"I see," he said softly. "And you lack any way to forget him, is that what you said?"

"Yes," I said, throwing caution to the wind, "I'm all out of…" Insert a panicked look at my own lack of discretion.

"No need to be alarmed, little girl. Perhaps you've had the good fortune to land in the right hands at this trying time. Maybe you're picking the wrong guys. You should try someone more like you. A little less tan," he added, in case I missed his subtle point. "You have such pretty, smooth white skin..." His finger traced a path down my arm. Ugh, the last place I wanted to be was anywhere near this racist's hands.

I swallowed my disgust and played dumb, batting my tearful lashes at him and saying, "Really? You--" I glanced warily around the bar. "You might be able to help me out?"

He smiled and his teeth were just as bad in person as in the photo. Ick. "Depends on what you prefer, but I think we can come to some mutually satisfying arrangement."

I hesitated. "I don't have any money."

"Not to worry, little girl. I think we can settle on some other form of payment?"

Double, triple ick. "Well…ok. There's--" I moistened my lips with my tongue nervously, drawing his eyes, keeping him on the hook. "There's a motel next door. We could maybe…" I trailed off suggestively.

He rested his hand on my lower back and nudged me off the barstool.

I smiled up at him and let him guide me to the door. On the way out, I caught a glimpse of a large figure in a darkened corner. A large, Ranger-shaped figure, I realized as the chiseled planes of his face caught the flare of a cigarette lighter nearby. Oh boy. I suddenly wondered how much he'd seen earlier.

Feeling a little sick, which was understandable at the thought of my intended destination I told myself, I exited the bar.

I faked a stumble as we reached the parking lot and freed myself from Karl's grip long enough for Lester to stun him.

Then it was simply a matter of getting him cuffed and in the SUV.

I felt the tingle at the back of my neck and turned.

Nothing in his face to tell me what he was thinking. "Yo," I said.

"You should've requested backup. I don't like doing distractions with one man as backup. Too risky." No 'yo yourself' tonight. Not a good sign. Guess his bad mood hadn't worn off.

"Yeah, um, we weren't sure how accurate the information was. Didn't want to tie up the guys if he didn't show up."

A curl blew into my face and unconsciously I waited for him to brush it aside as he usually did. He didn't and after a moment, I tucked it behind my ear.

"Safety first, Stephanie." I felt dismissed as he walked over to Lester. He spoke quietly to Lester for a minute and then he was gone.

Lester slammed the driver's door and avoided looking at me as he inserted the key.

"What'd he say to you? You'd think he'd be a little happier," I said. "We did just earn the company twenty thousand bucks."

Lester coughed. "Yeah. He's in a mood today. Let's just say I'm gonna try to avoid running into him later. When I see him look like that, I start thinking my future involves a block of wood, a bucket of ice, and a hatchet. I like my fingers where they are."

I laughed. "Les, I hardly think Ranger's gonna go all Tarantino on you. Besides, in the movie wasn't that a bet? Just don't make any bets with him and you're safe."

He shot me a dark look. "Yeah, all the same, if Ranger comes at me with a ball of twine, it's gonna be 'Lester has left the building.' And in a hurry. 

Nobody fucks with him in this mood, Steph, and he's pissed I didn't have more guys on you tonight."

Somehow, I didn't think Ranger's objective was more 'guys on me.' "Anybody ever find out what his problem is?"

"Not exactly, but we can all guess."

"Yeah?"

"So can you, Beautiful. Don't play dumb."

I turned in my seatbelt and studied his face as it flashed into and out of sight under the street lights. "If you think that's the problem, why do you do it?"

He flashed me his brilliant smile and his teeth gleamed white in the darkness. "Already told you I like to live dangerously. Plus it's fun."

"But you'll be avoiding him."

"Yeah, well, no sense in being outright stupid." Lester's rich laugh brought a smile to my face. "You didn't miss the 'live' part of living dangerously, did you? Because that's a critical part."

I shook my head at him. "You are such a goof, Les."

"I live--" he emphasized the word, "to please, Beautiful." I laughed at him again and he took his eyes off the road again and fixed them on me. "Do keep that in mind."

I was beginning to think Les was a big tease, but I was afraid to test the theory. Yeah, here's the part where a smart Stephanie shuts up, I thought wisely and proceeded to follow my own advice.


End file.
